---
title: Create an Explicit Hierarchy
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "04/01/2016"
ms.prod: sql
ms.prod_service: "mds"
ms.reviewer: ""
ms.technology: master-data-services
ms.topic: conceptual
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "creating explicit hierarchies [Master Data Services]"
  - "explicit hierarchies, creating"
ms.assetid: ba768393-6990-4eda-8cb0-d58cb3cfc2e2
author: lrtoyou1223
ms.author: lle
---
# Create an Explicit Hierarchy (Master Data Services)

[!INCLUDE[appliesto-ss-xxxx-xxxx-xxx-md-winonly](../includes/appliesto-ss-xxxx-xxxx-xxx-md-winonly.md)]

  In [!INCLUDE[ssMDSshort](../includes/ssmdsshort-md.md)], create an explicit hierarchy when you need a ragged hierarchy in which members can exist at any level. Explicit hierarchies contain members from a single entity.  
  
 After you create an explicit hierarchy, you can add members to it in the **Explorer** functional area.  
  
## Prerequisites  
 To perform this procedure:  
  
-   You must have permission to access the **System Administration** functional area.  
  
-   You must be a model administrator. For more information, see [Administrators (Master Data Services)](../master-data-services/administrators-master-data-services.md).  
  
-   The entity must be enabled for explicit hierarchies and collections.  
  
### To create an explicit hierarchy  
  
1.  In [!INCLUDE[ssMDSmdm](../includes/ssmdsmdm-md.md)], click **System Administration**.  
  
2.  On the **Manage Model** page, select a model from the grid and then click **Entities**.  
  
3.  On the **Manage Entity** page, from the grid, select the row for the entity that you want to create an explicit hierarchy for.  
  
4.  Click **Explicit Hierarchies**.  
  
5.  On the **Manage Explicit Hierarchy** page, click **Add**.  
  
6.  In the **Name** box, type a name for the hierarchy.  
  
7.  Optionally, clear the **Mandatory hierarchy** check box to create the hierarchy as a non-mandatory hierarchy. For more information about hierarchy types, see [Explicit Hierarchies (Master Data Services)](../master-data-services/explicit-hierarchies-master-data-services.md).  
  
8.  Click **Save**.  
  
## Grid Columns  
 For each explicit hierarchy that you create, a row with seven columns is added to the grid. The following is a description of the columns.  
  
|Name|Description|  
|----------|-----------------|  
|Status|The entity status. When you click **Save** the following image is displayed that indicates that the entity is updating.<br /><br /> ![Icon for updating status](../master-data-services/media/mds-statusicon-updating.png "Icon for updating status")<br /><br /> If there are errors when creating or editing an entity, the following image is displayed.<br /><br /> ![Icon for error status](../master-data-services/media/mds-statusicon-error.png "Icon for error status")<br /><br /> If the status is OK, then the following image is displayed.<br /><br /> ![Icon for OK status](../master-data-services/media/mds-statusicon-ok.png "Icon for OK status")|  
|Name|The explicit hierarchy name.|  
|Is Mandatory|Specifies whether the explicit hierarchy is mandatory.|  
|Created By|The username of the user who created the explicit hierarchy.|  
|Created On|The date and time when the explicit hierarchy was created.|  
|Updated By|The username of the user who last updated the explicit hierarchy.|  
|Updated On|The date and time when the explicit hierarchy was last updated.|  
  
## Next Steps  
  
-   [Create a Consolidated Member &#40;Master Data Services&#41;](../master-data-services/create-a-consolidated-member-master-data-services.md)  
  
  
  
## See Also  
 [Explicit Hierarchies &#40;Master Data Services&#41;](../master-data-services/explicit-hierarchies-master-data-services.md)   
 [Derived Hierarchies with Explicit Caps &#40;Master Data Services&#41;](../master-data-services/derived-hierarchies-with-explicit-caps-master-data-services.md)   
 [Change an Explicit Hierarchy Name &#40;Master Data Services&#41;](../master-data-services/change-an-explicit-hierarchy-name-master-data-services.md)